Which place is cheaper, Darwin or Hualien?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Hualien or Darwin?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Hualien or Darwin, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Hualien or Darwin?
Hualien
If you're looking for hustle and bustle, head to Taipei. If you're looking for fresh air and the prettiest town by the sea, Hualien is the place to be. With many national parks to explore, cliffs and mountains to climb and beaches to get some rest and relaxation, there's plenty to do, especially for nature lovers and those who crave peace and quiet, away from the bigger cities in Taiwan.
Darwin
Darwin is a tropical city set against the Timor Sea in north central Australia. It is also the capital city of the Northern Territory. Despite being a relatively small city, Darwin is very diverse with residents from all over the world. The city itself has a very relaxed vibe with plenty to do. Visitors can enjoy everything from traditionally Asian style markets to culturally diverse events such as concerts, festivals or art shows.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Taipei, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Taiwan, The Best Luxury Tours to Australia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Australia.
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Hualien Prices
Taiwan PricesDarwin Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHualien $136Darwin $139
The average daily cost (per person) in Hualien is $136, while the average daily cost in Darwin is $139. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Hualien and Darwin in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHualien $60Darwin $62
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHualien $120Darwin $124
Compare Hotels in Hualien and Darwin
Looking for a hotel in Hualien or Darwin? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Darwin Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Hualien $29Darwin $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hualien
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hualien:
- Private Transfer from Hualien Cruise Port to Taipei city hotels: $280
- Private Transfer from Hualien Port to Taipei Taoyuan Airport TPE: $280
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Darwin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Darwin:
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Shuttle to Train Station$9.81
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Darwin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Darwin:
- DRW Airport to Darwin City Centre Private Transfer: $47
- Spectacular Jumping Crocodile Cruise with Darwin Transfer Bus: $81
- Private Transfer from Darwin Airport (DRW) to Darwin Cruise Port: $86
- Private Transfer from Darwin Cruise Port to Darwin city hotels: $86
- Private Transfer from Darwin Cruise Port to Darwin Airport (DRW): $86
- Crocodile Jumping Boat Cruise with Transfer from Darwin: $94
- Darwin to Darwin Int Airport (DRW) - Departure Private Transfer: $100
- Darwin Int Airport (DRW) to Darwin - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $201
Is it cheaper to fly into Hualien or Darwin?
Prices for flights to both Darwin and Hualien change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayHualien $56Darwin $65
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Darwin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Darwin.
- Sunset Harbour Cruise with Fish and Chips Dinner: $72
- Darwin Harbor Sunset Cruise with Buffet Dinner: $96
- Charles Darwin Dinner Cruise: $104
- Cape Adieu Sunset Cruise with 4-Course Dinner: $112
- Signature four course Sunset Dinner Cruise: $112
- Sunset 3-Hour Cruise from Darwin with Dinner and Sparkling Wine: $114
- Cape Adieu Darwin Sunset Dinner Cruise: $114
- Waterfront Seafood Dinner with Wine for Two: $132
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Hualien $21Darwin $15
Tours and Activities in Hualien
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Hualien are as follows:
- Wild ATV Self-driving Experience: $43
- Taroko, Qingshui Cliff, Xincheng Old Street & Qixingtan Day Tour: $80
- Hualien Changhong Bridge SUP Day tour: $85
- Shuimutin Exclusive SUP Day tour(Hualien to Taitung): $89
- Exclusive Private Taroko Gorge Day Tour with Local English Guide: $121
- 2025 Taroko Gorge Tour Excellent Cultural Stories , 8 Hours: $130
- Full-Day Private Taroko National Park Tour from Hualien City: $139
- Taroko Gorge, Qingshui Cliffs & Qixingtan Beach Tour from Hualien: $159
- Liyu Lake, Sugar Factory, and Ruisui Ranch Tour: $320
Tours and Activities in Darwin
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Darwin are as follows:
- Aquascene Fish Feeding Experience: $11
- Crocosaurus Cove General Admission Ticket: $26
- Adelaide River Queen Original Jumping Crocodile Cruise: $27
- Big Bus Open-Top Hop-on Hop-off Tour: $32
- Darwin Shore Excursion: Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour: $33
- Darwin Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour: $33
- 1 Hour Jumping Crocodile Cruise on the Adelaide River: $37
- Adelaide River Cruises - Jumping Crocodile Experience: $40
- Darwin History and Wartime Experience Tour: $40
- Discover Darwin Harbour: Darwin Harbour Afternoon Cruise: $43
- 1-Hour Bombing of Darwin Cruise: $43
- Darwin Harbour Bombing of Darwin Cruise: $44
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHualien $15Darwin $13
Typical Alcohol Prices in Darwin
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Darwin from other travelers:
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Evening at a Bar$16
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Glass of Wine$4.58
When comparing the travel costs between Hualien and Darwin, we can see that Darwin is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Hualien is in Asia and Darwin is in Pacific, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Hualien Expensive? and Is Darwin Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Hualien or Darwin?
Hualien has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Darwin. When comparing the sizes of Hualien and Darwin, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.